Product groups are eligible for the Bid Simulator:
Correct Answer
A) When Shopping ads have been included in enough auctions or accrued enough impressions
Key takeaways
The Bid Simulator needs enough auctions or impressions to replay.
New product groups will not show simulator data until history accrues.
It is a data requirement, not a setting to switch on.
Why is this the correct answer?
The Bid Simulator works by replaying recent auctions at different bid levels, so it can only produce estimates where there is enough auction history to replay. A product group that has been in plenty of auctions, or accrued enough impressions, has that history; a brand new one does not, which is why the simulator appears greyed out on fresh groups. It is a data requirement, not a setting you enable.
Why are the other options wrong?
B) Anytime after a product group is created in a Shopping campaign
Creating a product group does not by itself make the simulator available. Without auction history there is nothing to model.
C) Once a budget cap has been reached for a product group
Budget caps limit delivery. They are not a trigger for the simulator, and a capped group may still lack the auction data required.
D) Once the average cost-per-click (avg. CPC) is close to the maximum cost-per-click (max. CPC) bid
The relationship between average and maximum CPC tells you about bidding pressure, not about whether enough auction data exists.
Frequently asked questions about this topic
How far back does the Bid Simulator look?
It is based on recent auction data, typically the last week or so, which is why estimates move as conditions change. Treat it as a projection from recent behaviour rather than a guarantee of future results.
Official documentation: https://support.google.com/adwords/answer/6239130?hl=en
Topics in this question
About the Shopping Ads Certification
The Shopping Ads Certification checks that you can run retail campaigns end to end: product data in Merchant Center, linking it to Google Ads, and choosing between Standard Shopping and Performance Max to drive sales and value.
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